Tag - Pbh

Simcere Pharmaceutical Group (Nasdaq:SCR), RXi Pharmaceuticals Corp. (Nasdaq:RXII) and Stewardship Financial Corp. (Nasdaq:SSFN) are among the biggest percentage losers in Tuesday's trading among companies with market capitalizations under $1 billion.

Also included among the results: Prestige Brands Holdings Inc (Nasdaq:PBH), M I Homes Inc. (Nasdaq:MHO), eHealth Inc. (Nasdaq:EHTH), K-Fed Bancorp (Nasdaq:KFED), Zions Bancorp (Nasdaq:ZION) and MSCI Inc. (Nasdaq:MXB).

Small-cap stocks pushed higher Tuesday, as investors tried to balance ongoing worries about the economy and corporate profits versus hope for fresh stimulus funds. Short-term oversold conditions likely played a supportive role as well. Some of today’s small-cap gainers were Targanta Therapeutics (Nasdaq:TARG), ZymoGenetics (Nasdaq:ZGEN) and Aercap Holdings NV (NYSE:AER).

Other Market Watch highlights today included:

• The market appeared to slip initially, then staged a recovery move during the first speech of the year by Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke.
• Bernanke said this morning that TARP funds should be directed toward toxic mortgage-backed assets, which was news that traders seemed to openly embrace.
• The international trade report showed that the U.S. deficit narrowed by 28.7% in November, which marked the largest contraction in 12 years. 
• On the commodities scene, gold climbed and copper reversed a big overnight decline in Asia to trend higher.
• Crude oil prices closed out the day with a modest gain of $0.19 a barrel, which was off the U.S. trading session highs, but still quite a bit better than losses seen in overseas action.
• Gains in energy and other commodities were hampered somewhat today by a strong tone in the U.S. dollar, which rose 1.4% against the euro. 
• Looking ahead to Wed., the market will see a ramp up of econ data, with retail sales, import prices and biz inventories out in the morning. 

Small Cap Gainers:

• The Medicines Company announced it will acquire Targanta Therapeutics. Targanta shares closed up a whopping 109%. See (Nasdaq:TARG).
• Bristol-Myers to buy ZymoGenetics’ experimental Hepatitis C drug. Shares of ZymoGenetics popped 26%. See (Nasdaq:ZGEN).
• Aercap Holdings NV soared 25% as the Netherlands aviation firm . . .

Small-cap stocks pushed higher Tuesday, as investors tried to balance ongoing worries about the economy and corporate profits versus hope for fresh stimulus funds. Short-term oversold conditions likely played a supportive role as well. The Russell 2000 (NYSE:IWM) closed up 4.99, or 1.06%, at 473.79 and is now down 5.1% for the year, while the Dow is off 3.7% and the S&P 500 is down 3.4%.

As the market lurches forward into the earnings season, the picture remains gloomy with Alcoa Inc. (NYSE:AA) kicking off the proceedings Monday after with a larger-than-expected loss and big-cap bellwether General Electric Co. (NYSE:GE) taking a hefty 5.6% hit today amid negative analyst comments. In general, no one is expecting earnings to be a positive story, but if things veer too far south of an already dour forecast, it could generate enough worries to send the market back toward a retest of the lows. All that said, in some ways it’s actually a positive to see the overall market holding up reasonably well today given the slide in GE shares.

Despite the seeming preponderance of negative input again today, small caps held in well throughout the session, perhaps hinting that some investors are willing to take a shot at riskier fare given the recent pullback off the highs. In addition, energy and commodity stocks often have a powerful directional bias on small caps and those sectors were on better footing today.

Crude oil prices closed out the day with a modest gain of $0.19 a barrel, which was off the U.S. trading session highs, but still quite a bit better than losses seen in overseas action. U.S. crude finished up 0.5% at $37.78, underpinned by talk from Saudi officials that they had cut production beyond the scope of previous announcements and by a brutal cold front pushing into the northern Midwest that could spike up . . .

Small-cap stocks continued to grind higher into midday, with energy, real estate trusts and financial shares showing the way. A recovery bounce in crude oil and oversold conditions on energy stocks sparked money flow into that arena and provided a lift to the overall market. Some of today’s small-cap gainers were Developers Diversified Realty Corp.  (NYSE:DDR), BigBand Networks Inc. (Nasdaq:BBND) and Union Drilling Inc. (Nasdaq:UDRL).

Other Market Watch highlights today included:

• Bernanke said this morning that TARP funds should be directed toward toxic mortgage-backed assets, relieving many traders.  
• On the commodities scene, gold climbed and copper reversed a big overnight decline in Asia to trend higher.
• Energy stocks appeared to get a lift from a recovery rally in crude oil futures, which reversed a $1 per barrel decline in overnight trading.  
• The worst performers were electronic component makers, aluminum stocks, tire companies, industrial conglomerates and auto manufacturers

Small Cap Gainers:

• Small-cap REIT Developers Diversified Realty Corp. soared 18% as the shopping center management firm recovered from steep losses Monday. See (NYSE:DDR).
• BigBand Networks Inc. rallied 17% as investors appeared to be taking a stab that the video networking solutions firm will announce decent earnings Thursday afternoon. See (Nasdaq:BBND).  
• Among the various energy companies in rally mode today, natural gas firm Union Drilling Inc. was up 13%. See (Nasdaq:UDRL).

Small Cap Losers:

• Cepheid gapped lower and fell 18% gene analysis firm reported earnings that didn’t match up with investor expectations. See (Nasdaq:CPHD).  
• Prestige Brands lowers guidance; stock slumps over 13%. See (NYSE:PBH).   
• AMB Property Corp. slipped 8% as the firm made some dividend announcements. See (NYSE:AMB).  
• Liz Claiborne lowers view, inks credit amendment; stock slides 4%. See (NYSE:LIZ).  

Formula Systems Depository Receipt (Nasdaq:FORTY), Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Co Inc. (Nasdaq:GAP) and Cepheid (Nasdaq:CPHD) are among the biggest percentage losers in Tuesday's trading among companies with market capitalizations under $1 billion.

Also included among the results: Prestige Brands Holdings Inc. (Nasdaq:PBH), DemandTec Inc. (Nasdaq:DMAN), Crawford (Nasdaq:CRD.B), American Greetings Corp. (Nasdaq:AM), PAM Transportation Services Inc (Nasdaq:PTSI) and Ark Restaurants Corp. (Nasdaq:ARKR).

Small-cap stocks edged slightly lower on the open, pulled down by declines in overseas markets but a bounce in crude oil prices into the stock market opening helped limit selling interest, as did Federal Reserve comments on the TARP.  Some of today’s small-cap gainers were ZymoGenetics (Nasdaq:ZGEN), Lexington Realty Trust (NYSE:LXP) and Symmetry Medical Inc. (NYSE:SMA).

Other Market Watch highlights today included:

• Europe stocks were down about 2%, while Asian equities were off about 3%, with mining, energy, telecom, bank and tech stocks taking a hit.  
• In overseas trading, European and Asian markets appeared to be “catching up” with the slide Monday in U.S. equities.  
• Crude oil prices were down about $1 a barrel overnight, but rallied back into positive territory just ahead of the stock market open today.  
• The international trade report showed that the U.S. deficit narrowed by 28.7% in November, which marked the largest contraction in 12 years.  

Small Cap Gainers:

• Bristol-Myers buys ZymoGenetics’ experimental Hepatitis C drug; shares of ZymoGenetics pop 53% in pre-market. See (Nasdaq:ZGEN).
• Lexington Realty Trust rose 14%, essentially recovering Monday’s big decline. See (NYSE:LXP).  
• Symmetry Medical Inc. climbed 13% as the medical implant firm tried to rally after sinking to the lowest daily close in more than a year on Monday. See (NYSE:SMA).
• InterOil Corp. rose 12% as the firm updated drilling progress on a reservoir in Papua, New Guinea. See (NYSE:IOC).  

Small Cap Losers:

• Cepheid gapped lower and fell 18% gene analysis firm reported earnings that didn’t match up with investor expectations. See (Nasdaq:CPHD).  
• Prestige Brands lowers guidance; stock slumps over 13%. See (NYSE:PBH).   
• AMB Property Corp. slipped 8% as the firm made some dividend announcements. See (NYSE:AMB).  

Prestige Brands Holdings Inc. (NYSE:PBH) has lost more than 14% in today’s trading after announcing before the open its first-quarter revenues and net income will decline 7% from the previous year. The Irvington, N.Y.-based company sells over-the-counter health care products. Prestige Brands said the decreases were due to poor pricing dynamics in the cryogenic segment of the over-the-counter wart treatment category. A line of the company’s pediatric cough and cold products were voluntarily removed from the shelves in fall of 2007, and Prestige Brands is still feeling the pinch from it, the company said. Prestige Brands will report its fiscal first-quarter earnings on Aug. 7 before the market opening.

Preferred Bank (Nasdaq:PFBC), Anadigics Inc (Nasdaq:ANAD) and Sonic Solutions (Nasdaq:SNIC) are among the biggest percentage losers in Wednesday's trading among companies with market capitalizations under $1 billion.

Also included among the results: Wavecom (Nasdaq:WVCM), Arkansas Best Corp (Nasdaq:ABFS), First Place Financial Corp Ohio (Nasdaq:FPFC), Prestige Brands Holdings Inc (Nasdaq:PBH), SeaBright Insurance Holdings Inc (Nasdaq:SEAB) and FormFactor Inc (Nasdaq:FORM).

Here are the biggest percentage losers among small caps:

Pyramid Oil Co (Nasdaq:PDO), Callon Petroleum Co (Nasdaq:CPE) and Vantage Energy Services (Nasdaq:VTG) are among the new 52-week highs in Friday's trading among companies with market capitalizations under $750 million.

Prestige Brands Holdings Inc (Nasdaq:PBH), RAM Energy Resources Inc (Nasdaq:RAME) and Avant Immunotherapeutics Inc (Nasdaq:AVAN) are also among the new 52-week highs.

Here are the new 52-week highs among small caps:

Heritage-Crystal Clean, Inc. (Nasdaq:HCCI), Prestige Brands Holdings, Inc. (NYSE:PBH) and WSI Industries, Inc. (Nasdaq:WSCI) were among the new 52-week highs established during Thursday's trading among companies with market capitalizations or values under $750 million.

Jinpan International Ltd. (AMEX:JST), Republic Bancorp, Inc. (Nasdaq:RBCAA) and National Research Corp. (Nasdaq:NRCI) were also among the 52-week small-cap highs.

Here are Thursday's 52-week small-cap highs: